Wild Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye salmon measure 18 to 31 inches in length and weigh 4-15 pounds. Like all species of Pacific salmon, sockeye salmon are anadromous, living in the ocean but entering fresh water to spawn. Sockeye salmon spend 1-4 years in fresh water and 1-3 years in the ocean.

Sea-going sockeye salmon have iridescent silver flanks, a white belly, and a metallic green-blue top, giving them their “blueback” name. As sockeye salmon return upriver to their spawning grounds, their bodies turn brilliant red and their heads take on a greenish color, hence their other common name, “red” salmon.

Sockeye salmon are found in cold waters of North Pacific Ocean – on the west coast of North America and on the east coast of Asia.